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T. R. THOMAS.

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APPLICATION FILED DECJT, 1 914.

1, 165,638. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

. 'liDiVZAS, O13 BRISTOL. VERMONT.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, rill-53.

Application filed ."Jecemcer 17, 1314. Serial No. 87?,73'7.

1 '0 all; whom it may concern Be it known that I, Trronr R. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing; at Bristol, in the county of Addison and State of Vermont, have inventeo certain new and useful Improvements in Bones, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to boxes and more particularly to that class which are designed for use in transporting samples and small. articles and small quantities of matter through the mails. in containers of this class, it is desirable that the walls of the same be sutliciently strong to render collapse unlikely sothat the contents will. not be liable to be damaged while in transit, and yet it is equally desirable that the container be suiliciently light to permit of the same being mailed at a low rate of postage. lVhere it is desirable that the container be sfiiciently strong; to withstand rough handling and to etiectually protect the article or material contained therein, the ptacle is ordi arily in the form of a wooden bot: provided with a sliding lid or cover. Such a container, however, presents the disadvantage that the cost to manufacture is so great as to prohibit its use in the shipment ofinenpensive articles or samples. Further more it is likely that the lid of such a container will he accidentally partly or completely opened during transit thereby re sulting in loss of the contents or th ir deterioration or damage. To prevent such an occurrence, it is customary to apply tapes or someother securing means to the lid but of course this only adds to the expense of the container. Furthermore, if the container be s sealed that its lid cannot be opened for inspection of its contents by the proper postal authorities, first class postage has to be paid. o obviate the use of sealing devices and the payment of a high rate of postage, it is customary to have the lids of such containers fit exceptionally tight. While this serves more or less effectually to prevent accidental removal of the lid and loss 01 the contents of the container, nevertheless, it the lid is frequentlyopened and closed, in the act of inspection, it is liable to eventually fit so loosely as to render it liable to loss or accidental removal. Another form of container commonly used comprises an outer member and an inner member or container proper which is slidably fitted therein, the outer member being open at both ends, and these containers are ordinarily constructed from card-board or pasteboard. in view of the nature of the material from which they are formed, their walls are comparatively frail and they are liable to be crushed and their contents inured in transit. Furthermore, as their outer members are open at both ends, the inner member or container proper may be removed from either end and therefore both ends must be sealed in some manner to prevent accidental removal or with drawal. of the inner member. is a connce, while they are cheaper to manuture than a wooden container they are another view point practically as expensive as a wooden container, inasmuch as the cost of sealing the devices must be added to their original cost of manufacture. From the foregoing, it is obvious that it is desirable that a mailing container be sub stantial in construction so that its walls will not be liable to collapse and at the same time should be inexpensive to manufacture and it should embody some means whereby it may be eiiectually sealed and yet in a manner to permit of inspection of its contents by the proper postal authorities.

" ho present invention aims to provide ll'Clll ich a container and further to so construct the same that it may be readily and quickly assembled and the contents which it is to convey readily disposed or packed therein.

in the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of the container in closed or sealed condition. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the container. 3 is a perspective view of the same partly opened. Fig. l is a vertical transverse sectional view therethrough.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the ac tompanying draw ings by the same reference characters.

'lhe container embodying the present invention. consists, brielly stated, of an outer her and an inner member which is slidy removably ii ted therein, the inner member being of wood and the outer member icing made up from paste-board or other i lar material.

The inner member of the container, above referred to, comprises a bottom 1, sides 2 and ends 3, and the same is open at its top. lhc outer member within which the inner member is slidably removably fitted and .member it will fitmore or which constitutes in effect a closure for the said inner member, comprises a top l, a bottom 5, sides 6, and a permanently closed end 7. It is immaterial how this outer member is constructed and whether its walls be of single or multiply nature, so long as it is permanently closedat one end and open at its other end. The dimensions of the inner and outer members are such that when the inner member is introduced into the outer less snugly therein, although not so tightly as to prevent its convenient removal, and it is desirable that the length of the inner member be equal to the length oft-he outer member so that when the inner member is placed within the outer member, one end thereof will abut against the closed end 7 of the outer member and the other end of the inner member will substantially register with the open end of the said outer member. In order that the container as a whole may be closed and the loss of the inner member be provided against, the outer member is provided with closure flaps, one indicated by the numeral 8 and the other by the numeral 9. The closure flap 8 is either integml with or secured to the top wall l of the outer member and is of the same width as the said top wall and reotangular in shape, and of such length that when folded down to closed position it will completely close the open end of the said outer member. The closure flap 9 may be approximately triangular or it may, if desired, be rectangular, although, so far as this flap is concerned, its shape is immaterial.

It will be apparent by reference to the drawings, that in closing the container, the flap 8 is first folded to closed position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the flap 9 is then folded so as to overlap the flap 8, or, in other words, to lie against the outer face thereof. The flap 8 is provided with a flexible locking tongue 10 and the flap 9 is provided with a slot or opening. 11 through which this looking or fastening tongue is inserted as the flap 9 is fitted down against the flap 8. After the flaps have been thus manipulated, the tongue 10 is of course bent in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to secure the flaps in closed position.

As before stated, the flap 8 is integral with the top wall l of the outer member of the box and is of a Width to extend entirely across the open end of the said member or section. As a consequence, when this flap is folded down and secured by the insertion of the tongue 10 through the slot 11, the said top wall of the outer section of the box at: the open end of the said section will be drawn snugly against the upper edge of the adjacent end wall of the inner section of the box and loss of the contents, if in the nature of a powder, will be efiectually prevented.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be seen that there is provided a mailing container substantial in construction and yet inexpensive to maufacture, and one which may be readily opened for inspection of its contents and which may be again closed in a secure manner. It will be understood, furthermore, that while the top wall of the outer section of the container does not rest against a solid surface, nevertheless, it rests against the upper edges of the walls of the inner container and is consequently in an effectual manner supported against collapse.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: V y

[is a new article of manufacture, a ship ping container comprising an outer enveloping section of semi-rigid material including a top, bottom, sides and a closed and an open end, a closure flap integral with the top of the said section at the open end thereof and of a width and length equal'to the dimen: sions of the said open end of the said section and therefore adapted to completely close the said end, a closure flap integral with the bottom of the section atlthe said open end thereof and constructed to eXtcriorly overlap the first mentioned flap, means for securing the flaps in closed position, and an inner section comprising a bottom, sides, and ends, the said inner section being of rigid mate ial and being removably fitted into the outer section and of dimensions to fit snugly therein and com pletely iill the said outer section.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 7 in presence of two witnesses. THOR? R. THOMAS. [n s] VJitnesses: I I

F. M. THOMAS,

E. G. Jacous.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

